SolVin declares FM on PVC production

(ICIS) -- SolVin, a joint venture between BASF and Solvay, declared FM on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production from its 300,000 tonnes/year site in Tavaux, France, due to a lack of raw material ethylene as a result of ongoing strike action. Earlier Total declared FM across all grades of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) because of issues surrounding the transportation and stock of products.

Earlier in the week INEOS Oxide declared FM on ethylene oxide (EO), ethylene glycols, glycol ethers (and their esters), ethanolamines, oxo-alcohols and butyl acetates originating from its Lavera site in France due to reduced output caused by the demonstrations.

Meanwhile, Arkema also declared FM on supplies of oxo-alcohols from its Lavera plant and also held FM on PVC from all four of its French sites due to restricted feedstock supply.

In addition, the demonstrations have also contributed to a further tightening in Europe's butane market, resulting in higher prices.

MRC


French authorities break blockade at Total's Grandpuits refinery

(ICIS) -- French authorities forced demonstrators to clear the blockade at Total's Grandpuits refinery on Friday and ordered striking workers back to work as nationwide industrial action over pension reforms continued to cripple fuel supplies, reports said.

Total's Grandpuits 100,000 bbl/day refinery, the closest source of gasoline supplies to Paris, has been shut in protest over president Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reform.

The industrial action, along with an unrelated strike at Marseille's Fos-Lavera oil port, has forced all the country's refineries to either operate at minimum levels or shut production altogether, causing massive supply disruptions and panic-buying at gasoline stations across France. As of Friday, about 20% of France's service stations were still empty.


MRC


Japan Butyl Co Ltd expands butyl rubber production in Kawasaki

(ICIS) -- Japan Butyl Co Ltd has completed the expansion of its butyl rubber production capacity in Kawasaki by 22.5% to 98,000 tonnes/year, according to its parent company ExxonMobil Yugen Kaisha (EMYK) on Friday.

EMYK added that the butyl rubber plant would showcase advances in ExxonMobil's proprietary process technology that should translate to energy and investment savings.

⌠Our goal is to continue being a reliable supplier of quality butyl polymers. This is particularly important for the Asia Pacific market, which is growing at a rapid rate, said John Lyon, vice president for global butyl polymers business unit at ExxonMobil Chemical.


MRC


Middle East diverts cargoes to Europe: naphtha premiums rise

(Plastemart) -- Naphtha premiums in the Middle East have risen this week after cargoes were diverted to Europe. Currently, Europe is faced a widespread refinery and port strike in France that has exhausted supplies in the region. Nationwide strikes over pension reforms have spread to France's 12 oil refineries, adding to the impact of a multi-week strike at the country's largest oil port, Fos-Lavera.


Saudi Aramco sold 50,000 tons of A180 naphtha for early-November loading from Ras Tanura at US$16-17/ton above Middle East quotes, free-on-board (FOB) basis, pointing to a strong recovery on the export market to high premiums.


Two Saudi cargoes were shipped to Europe last week by Vitol.


MRC


EPCL seeks permission for nil rates to import ethylene

(Plastemart) -- Pakistan's Engro Polymer and Chemicals Limited (EPCL) is seeking permission to import ethylene at zero rate for production of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM), Ethylene Dichloride (EDC). EPCL has recently undergone expansion/back integration at an investment outlay of US$260 mln, as per Business Recorder.


EPCL manufactures Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), VCM, EDC, Caustic Soda and Sodium Hypochlorite. The company's major stakeholders are Engro Corporation Ltd, Mitsubishi Corp. and International Finance Corporation.


MRC